I can confidently say I’ve never read a book quite like this one...and that’s exactly what made it such a standout! The uniqueness alone had me intrigued from the first few pages. While it was a little different from my usual go-to reads, I still found it to be genuinely funny and really well written. It’s always fun to step outside your comfort zone and be pleasantly surprised!

This rom com definitely has a unique premise with Wyatt wanting to become a single dad through a surrogate. The first chapter was a funny one with his brothers and their antics which I did enjoy their banter through the book. The book is told through dual POV's so we then meet Trista who is trying to raise money to open an animal shelter farm and decides she wants to become a surrogate. Long story short, these two do have a connection after going to the same clinic. Wyatt is trying to find the one he wants to choose while Trista isn't having much luck after her first visit. She happens to run into Wyatt's 18yr old niece(which was a long shot but this is fiction/rom com) and things happen from there.

I liked Wyatt and felt he was pretty solid. His love language is acts of service and he definitely was a cinnamon roll character. Trista has had a rough life and I could empathize with her past and why she felt/acted the way she did. What I didn't care for were some of her OOT one-liners. Sure, some where funny but I felt most didn't agree with my sense of humor(but it may with others). I just moved past these parts. I feel Ms. Daws can write some funny rom com's and also some deeper stories. This one felt mostly like it was comedic with the side characters(which I really liked the found family and friends) along with some deeper moments. You're kind of waiting through the whole book to see if these two become more and it seemed the same issue with Trista was on repeat. With that being said, I did enjoy the banter and felt it was a fun read.

Lastly I have to mention I really enjoyed the chapter headings and looked forward to seeing how many animals on the mountain/progression in pregnancy. Overall I'd recommend this book if you've read this author before or if you're in for a lighter romance(and yes there's some spicy times in this one too).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC of this one.

I got this book as an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

I was a little worried about this one with it's plaid patterned pages and the plot being a romance between a man who has sworn off relationships and his surrogate, but it actually works really well!!! I think making the jump between that kind of sensitive employee/employer relationship needs to be broached really carefully the author did a really good job making it clear that both parties were interested and consenting in the relationship.

I also thought it was interesting how who I was cheering for changed through out the book. I started loving Trista and her blunt, straightforward way of approaching everything plus her love of animals. Wyatt is so controlling and pushy in the beginning and that was concerning but as the book progresses he learns how to respect her boundaries better while still looking out for her and then Trista bothered me with the way she pushes against the idea of being lovable.

The family is this is 10 stars. I'm happy this will be a series and loved the clues to Calder's story in the next book. I'm also intrigured that Max and Cozy (plus all of their friends) are featured in their own books in another series. I have a feeling I'm going to be reading a lot of Amy Daws books once I can fit it around my library holds and NetGalley ARCs. NetGalley, if you're reading this, I will gladly take an ARC of Calder's book.

I'm sure some people will be mad about Trista's change of heart about wanting to have kids but I've seen other people who don't want kids because they though their childhoods made them unfit to be parents, go to therapy, change their minds, have kids, and be great parents. I think it's important to give people the space to change their minds, especially as they learn to heal from past trauma.

Sorry if you saw my last feedback, I accidentally pasted the one from another book I finished on the same day!

I very much enjoyed this story. I’ve read it twice now (the first about a year ago), and I still enjoyed it just as much as the first time. The MCs have great chemistry and I liked the character growth by the end of the book. I adored all of the side characters as well, which definitely makes me excited for the next book.

If you’re just looking for a quick, light, enjoyable, spicy and funny read, this is a great option for you.

This was a cute and light novel that had positive plus size representation. The main character Trisha though leaves something to be desired. I really was for her being a fun loving character who has a love for animals. But it just seem like the more the story went on, the more she dug her heels into not changing at all. Literally the male MC says to have no more animals on HIS property. The next page there she has brought more animals in and disregarded his wishes. Even though she is living for free and he is doing all these nice and sweet things for her. She just reads very immature and almost self centered.
While the Male MC for the first time went through a whole character arc because being grumpy. I felt like he was still rough around the edges when it came to character being fleshed out. Overall though he at least realized what it meant to grow and care for another human being. I felt like he was always trying to make Trisha happy and his feelings were never accounted for. I do think he was naïve in wanting to just have a kid on his own without thinking about the other donors feelings. The other issue I had was the blurred lines with him being the father of the baby and also her landlord. I do think they did address that issue pretty fairly but it still had a bit of a ick feeling to me.
Its your basic pregnancy romance with a surrogacy twist. While you can say "forbidden" romance is a stretch there are some real issues that make this story overall a meh at best. I am more excited about the next book and the brother in that one. Hopefully there will be more of a equal romance and maturity levels.

I highly recommend this book. I laughed out loud in so many different parts of this book and found it so entertaining to read. Both the main characters easy to relate to and I like that the female lead character was a full figured woman who was confident in herself and was able to be strong and so sure in herself and her decisions she made for herself. Wyatt was also supportive of Trista and a likable main male character as well. Overall I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others to read.

A sweet, small-town surrogate romance!

“Nine Month Contract” follows Wyatt, a grumpy mountain man, and Trista, the animal-loving surrogate he can’t help but fall for.

I had the best time reading Daws’ spicy romcom! Wyatt and Trista’s near instant connection hooked me from the very start and the sizzling tension kept me in a chokehold as the story progressed. I loved being able to alternate between their perspectives each chapter and see how their feelings for each other grew week by week the more time they spend together on Fletcher Mountain.

Trista’s sunshine personality perfectly complements Wyatt’s grumpy one. They often clash, resulting in hilarious banter. When they first meet, both are in the process of working through painful pasts—Trista having experienced parental neglect and Wyatt having been manipulated by a toxic ex. I appreciate how patient Wyatt and Trista are with each other as they open up on their own time. The solace they ultimately find in their relationship and the little family they form make for the perfect happy ever after.

If you love opposites attract, age gap romance, and curvy FMCs then I could not recommend this book enough!

I don't normally enjoy accidental pregnancy tropes, but something about a surrogate who wants to get pregnant on purpose to help a grumpy mountain man fulfill his dream of being a father, I just ate it up! The tension and banter between Wyatt and Trista was phenomenal. They both had some emotional baggage and trauma but really worked together to heal their wounds and move forward. I was so excited to learn that this is the first book in a series about the Fletcher boys. I laughed out loud so much during this wonderful story and cannot wait to read the other books.

Perfect for fans of:
• Grumpy/Sunshine
• Small Town Romance
• Age Gap
• Curvy FMC
• Meghan Quinn and Tessa Bailey

Huge thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

I’m such a mood reader that this sat on my TBR shelf for a little longer than I intended - but once I started I couldn’t stop! This book really surprised me.. I usually avoid all pregnancy tropes but it was done in such a fun way! I really loved the evolution and growth of each character in this and I love how it was set up for a series - this family is PRECIOUS and I can’t wait to spend more time with them in future books!

So, I don't think I understood the assignment very well because reading the blurb I understood but the way the book was advertised I honestly thought this was going to be a failed surrogate because she couldn't get pregnant and then it works at the end or something. I was confused at the ease of pregnancy in this? Not even sure how to work that thought but any who I am not new to this author but it has been quite a while since I've read a book by her.

First of I want to start with me not liking the MFC hardcore right away it took me a while to warm up to her because of several factors one of the main ones being her "independence" which I am all for but this was independence on drugs [and before the ones who read it and think I'm crazy for feeling a certain way, yes I know why due to her parents, trust me I have the same exact ordeal in my real life] but being reminded every second that she is or needs to be independent did me in a little okay. Plus I do honest reviews and will always put exactly how I fell and how it made ME feel. That said I also did not feel the connection between the MMC + MFC other than platonic until legit chapter 29-30 when they actually end up together. THAT threw me off the most because I look for that connection. The MFC did emphasize on her size a lot which she played off as a joke and loves her body but it was quite a lot of times. I did connect with the MMC from the beginning, his grumpiness and possessiveness. I DO not like a heroine that plays games. I'm going to leave that sentence at that. These two are embarking on a life long journey even if they don't think so. Also the whole deal with the 'girl who got away' taht broke my heart even more and I hated it because I want them to be together but it was so natural for him to say and no feelings involved for one another [the mmc + mfc] it really got me messed up. Here I am rooting for these two waiting for them to throw me a bone besides some great smut, but then that scene when he told her about the ex broke me. I did really enjoy watching this unfold because after everything I may have felt I knew that the MFC is just wired like that because of her past and upbringings, the MMC was easier to read and understand. The smut scenes thought don't get me wrong, were FIRE X10!

That was a rough ending for me. I don't think I want to add anything more to this book than what I have said. NO EPILOGUE!

I feel that the writing was very juvenile at times. I know it’s meant to be a rom com but it had many moments of immaturity that surpassed the level of rom com. Seeing words like “rizz” and pop culture references like tiktok took me out of the story. There were still moments I did enjoy and felt the ending wrapped the story up well. The FMC was challenging to like most of the way through the book though. She had a lot of internalized fatphobia that had me struggling.

I went back and forth with this one several times. There were parts I really enjoyed, and others I wasn't so big on.

After not finding what he was looking for with a traditional surrogacy clinic, Wyatt thinks he's out of options. Until his niece decides to find the perfect surrogate for him - with a helpful ad drawn up by his brother. This is too unhinged to ever work, and Wyatt has come to grips with never being a dad. After getting burned harshly, relationships aren't for him.

Everly is leaving for college soon, and she wants to do her best to make sure her uncles are happy before she leaves. This means it's time for a little matchmaking. She focuses on Wyatt first, and with the surrogacy ads, she's interviewing the women who respond to see if they'll be a good fit long term. When she meets Trista, Everly knows she's the one.

But Trista has her own issues with trust. She's never known a true family, so she's sure it will be easy to have a baby and collect the cash. When it comes with free housing, and a barn to keep the animal friends she tends to rescue, it's a perfect match. She'll have a start towards opening her own animal rescue once this is all over.

Despite Wyatt's grumpy warnings, his family is eager to meet Trista. Along the way, not only are sparks flying, but Trista is getting a glimpse at what a family looks like for the first time. Having people who would drop anything for you. She tries to remind herself that it's not for her, that she's just doing them a service, but the more time she spends on Fletcher Mountain, the more she wants to make a home there.

This is my second Amy Daws book, so I was expecting the spice - which is on the spicier side. I love the found family aspect - and the animals rescued along the way. Big families that drive each other crazy, but love each other unconditionally don't always come across as genuine, but the Fletchers do. One of the things I wasn't expecting was the language - it could be a bit overkill for me at times. Normally it doesn't bother me, and I find myself not noticing it here and there, but there was definitely a lot in this one, more so than Blindside I felt, the book I'd read previously by the same author. So be prepared for that, and make sure to mind the trigger warnings ahead of the time.

With all that said, I do want to see what happens with Calder and Luke. Calder's romance with Dakota has been introduced, and I want to see Trista get her animal rescue up and running. I feel like Daws is creating a bigger world outside of our main couple (something I felt in Blindside, though I jumped into a side story) and that's something I really enjoyed. Looking forward to the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC of this one.

I thought it was cute. Not a favorite of mine but it was cute. Felt it was predictable.and could’ve used more depth. Words seemed to be used over and over. Story dragged in certain places, where it could’ve been more simple and then been able to add more to the story to make it stand out more.

This book was funny and sweet at the same time. Amy Daws left us feeling like we might all need our own mountain man!

Sweet, spicy, and delightfully fun! I can’t wait to read more about these mountain men! Trista and Wyatt’s story was unconventional, but well-crafted and propulsive.

If you love these tropes:
✨ Surrogacy
✨ Grumpy/Sunshine
✨ Small Town Romance
✨ Age Gap
✨ Curvy FMC
✨ Slow Burn
✨ Found Family

Then you definitely need to grab this book. It was an amazing read and I can’t wait to read more books by this author.

This was a super fun read! I loved the story, and I loved the cabin/mountain man vibes. I liked the relationship the main character had, and I appreciated the various tropes that the author included. The moments that made me laugh out loud were not far and few between. Super cute read!

4.5 Okay I need me a mountain man!! I loved these characters. At first I wasn't sure what to expect with this storyline because it's honestly different then what I typically read. Just a little. Book 2 I can't wait for you!!!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
I absolutely loved this book! Going into it, I was a bit apprehensive—the plot had the potential to veer into uncomfortable territory—but I was pleasantly surprised by how charming and heartwarming the story turned out to be. The characters were incredibly likable, and the humor throughout kept things light and engaging. It's a delightful mix of comedy and emotion, and I found myself smiling more than once. Highly recommend this one to anyone looking for a feel-good read!

Business Mountain Man wants a baby without the drama of a babymomma. Strapped for cash aspiring animal rescuers needs cash and a place to stay quickly. The agency denies them both but fate or a nosy niece manages to get them to meet. The rest is hilarious, romantic, and spicy. If you need a quick fun read go for this.

# Nine Month Contract (Mountain Men Matchmaker, #1)
# 4/5/2025 ~ 4/5/2025
# 5.0 / 5.0